Compare towns
Laconia vs Meredith vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Laconia | Meredith | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
6,758 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Laconia and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Strafford and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
| Strafford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Meredith and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$6,086Highest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.